


Brighten My Day

by xYamiKawaitax



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternative Sexuality, Anal Sex, Angst, Bottom Link, Bottom Rhett, Dom Link, Dom Rhett, Falling In Love, Feelings, First Meetings, Link top, Love, M/M, Sex, Sub Link, Sub Rhett, Top Rhett, randl, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-10-20 17:17:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10667214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xYamiKawaitax/pseuds/xYamiKawaitax
Summary: In an alternate universe where Rhett and Link didn't meet as kids, Rhett is working in a supermarket, and a handsome man in thick glasses and a suit is his favourite customer. Link is working as a data analyst, the highlight of his day is his conversations with the cute guy working the checkout at the supermarket on the corner.





	1. Chapter 1 - Beginnings

Rhett gazed off into the distance, dreams of sand and sun playing before his waking eyes. The thought of cocktails on the beach, the sun going down, a lover in either arm….

 

“I said, how much does that come to?”

 

Rhett started, suddenly wrenched back to reality. A man with a balding head and an angry look had his fists on his hips, giving Rhett a death stare.

 

“Oh, umm..” He looked down at the digital display. “$43.25” He informed him.

 

Other tills beeping away in the background, the quiet shuffle of the early morning customers and the loud hum of the fridges were the daily soundtrack to Rhett’s life at the convenience store.

 

He fumbled around with the angry guy’s change and thanked him for shopping with ValMart. The guy seemed less than impressed as he only grumbled incoherently in response.

 

Rhett sighed heavily. He leaned over his express checkout, trying to take the pressure off his back. He closed his eyes and groaned.

 

“Back still giving you problems?”

 

Rhett opened his eyes and smiled at the sight that met him. A small man, with dark hair and strong shoulders hidden under a smart suit with thick glasses was standing in front of him. He had an ID card hanging around his neck, a banana in one hand and a smoothie in the other.

 

“When isn’t it?” Rhett replied with a smile.

 

The man, whom Rhett affectionately dubbed ‘Suit Guy’, handed him the items he was holding.

 

Rhett took them and bipped them through the register.

 

“Off to work?” He asked this question every single morning, and every morning the answer was the same.

 

“For my sins.” Suit Guy smiled. “You on ‘til 4?”

 

He asked him that every morning too.

 

“Everyday but the weekends.” It was always Rhett’s reply. “That’s $4.35.”

 

Suit Guy payed up.

 

“See you tomorrow.” He said with a smile as he accepted his change.

 

“See you tomorrow, thanks for shopping with ValMart!” He always emphasised it sarcastically to Suit Guy, it always seemed to make him laugh. As he turned to leave, Rhett tried to catch a glimpse of his ID card. He always wore it facing his chest, and Rhett was desperate to know the guy’s real name.

 

Rhett enjoyed his little routine, it was the same every morning. The same conversation, the same banana and smoothie, the same piercing blue eyes.

 

He let out a loud sigh and checked his watch. 8.56. Only six hours and four minutes to go.

 

\---

 

When Rhett got to his apartment, he threw his bag down and collapsed onto the sofa. He flicked through his missed messages on his phone. Two off his Mom, one from a telephone survey company and none from any of the places he’d applied for jobs at. He played the two from his Mom, and slowly passed out on the sofa as she wittered on. He drifted in and out, catching fragments.

 

“Now Rhett, when are you going to come home and see us… When are you going to settle down and get married?.... Your father has painted the garden shed, it looks marvellous…”

 

He huffed in his half asleep state. When was she going to understand he was never going to get married? Not after everything that had happened. He couldn’t go through it again. He turned over on the sofa to get more comfortable. Wasn’t it enough for her that his sister was getting married in a few weeks? He had hoped that would have got her off his back for a while, but it had only served to make her worse.

 

His brain slipped in and out of dream state, he dreamt of his dad on top of the shed, paint tin in hand, yelling at him to get a mop and clean up in aisle four. He was mopping the aisle, but when he looked up, he realised he was at his own wedding. He was getting married in aisle four, his family crammed into the chilled meat section. At the end of the fridges, there was a vicar and a woman in a bridal dress. He walked hesitantly up toward her, and as he got closer he realised she was a man in a dress, but he felt oddly content with that, if not a little relieved. He recognised the man, but he couldn’t quite place him. Then, his dad was standing where the vicar had been, in paint stained overalls, yelling at him that he was fired.

 

He woke with a start. A thin layer of sweat covered his brow and he was panting heavily. It had gone dark now, he must have been asleep for a long time. He shuddered at the memory of the dream, even now as it faded away he felt that something had disturbed him deeply, he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

 

He clambered to his feet and stretched widely. His back twinged, angry with him for sleeping on the sofa when he had a perfectly good bed in the other room.

 

Obeying the call of his spine, he made his way to his bedroom to resume his slumber.

 

\---

 

Another tedious day of stacking shelves and scanning groceries loomed ahead of him as he headed to work the next day. He debated being late, that way he would have to have a meeting with his supervisor, which would take fifteen more minutes, which meant he would be down a net half hour of work.

 

Ultimately he decided it wasn’t worth it. He didn’t want to get fired after all, not really. He needed the money. Living in LA wasn’t cheap and virtually impossible without some sort of wage.

 

He clocked in and started stacking the shelves, unnerved to find he’d been asked to work the chilled meat section that morning. His dream from the night before haunting him, he idly began to look forward to 8:50, that’s when Suit Guy would come in. He’d smile at him, they’d have their conversation, and Rhett would get to look into those gorgeous eyes of his and for a brief, wonderful moment be transported to somewhere where he wasn’t a valued team member at ValMart.

 

It was a busy morning, and Rhett found himself working the register most of the morning. Most of the registers were open, even the ones with the belts, which was unusual at this time of day.

 

Eventually, he noticed the time. He looked up with excitement, searching the queue for Suit Guy. And there he was a few people in. Rhett’s heart pounded a little harder with the anticipation of the one perk of the day.

 

Suit Guy had his phone pressed to his ear with his shoulder, his hands full with his usual items. Rhett calculated the speed at which he would have to serve the next customer in order to make sure that Suit Guy ended up at his checkout point.

 

“Look, I can’t talk about this right now, babe, I have to call you after work.”

 

Babe. Rhett’s heart sank a litte.

 

“Look, I’m gonna be late! I’ll call you later!” He juggled around with his groceries and phone, trying to hang up. Rhett tried to hide a grin, god he had never noticed how clumsy he was. It was adorable.

 

“Hey man, if you’re gonna be late, go before me.”

 

Rhett looked up from his current transaction in horror. No, no, no! Some old guy was giving his space in the queue away! That generous bastard!

 

“Are you sure?” Suit Guy seemed hesitant.

 

“Yeah man, I got coupons, I’m gonna be ages.” Coupon Man said, gesturing for Suit Guy to take his place.

 

“Well, if you’re sure.”

 

Rhett watched him, walk right past and to Jolene’s checkout. His heart sank into his stomach.

 

For one brief second, he saw Suit Guy look up at him. Rhett felt his cheek flush as he looked away abruptly. He’d been caught staring! He was so embarrassed.

 

His heart was so low in his chest he was sure he could have digested it. The one highlight of his day, ripped away from him, and now he had a pile of coupons to scan through.

 

\---

 

Another week passed. Another dull week of grocery beeping and career based inertia, the only break from which were his 8.50 conversations with the man in the dashing suit. He’d noticed that their conversations had been getting slightly longer every day, to the point where they had stood talking for a full minute after the transaction had officially ended.

 

It was Thursday. 8.45 came around and Rhett was tapping his fingers on the checkout impatiently. Come on, tick over! It had been 8:45 for a full twenty minutes, he was sure of it.

 

He came to with a start when a customer slammed a muffin and a bottle of cola onto his counter.

 

“Good morning-“ He started, only to falter at the last second. It was Suit Guy, his face like thunder as he fumbled around in his pockets for his wallet.

 

“Morning.” He grumbled.

 

“Are you okay?” Rhett asked, picking up the muffin and entering its shortcode into the register.

 

“Fine. Great in fact.” He didn’t sound great. “How much are those?”

 

Rhett checked the screen.

 

“$3.45” He answered, watching the anger smouldering in his face. Rhett felt a twinge of sexual desire run straight through him like a bolt of electricity.

 

“Ha!” Suit Guy snorted in distorted laughter. “It’s cheaper too!” He declared with a sense of victory.

 

“Change from the usual, I see?” Rhett felt stupid for just pointing out the obvious, but he didn’t know what else to say, and he had to say something or he’d have just paid and walked away.

 

“My girlfriend was on this health kick, and well, she’s my ex-girlfriend now, so screw her, right?” He picked up his shopping. “God I’ve missed chocolate.” He said with a heavy sigh.

 

“No woman in the world is worth giving up chocolate for, man.” Rhett pointed out, trying to hide his glee at hearing the words; ‘ex-girlfriend’.

 

“You know what, you’re right.” He smiled and gave him the money he owed, seeming slightly cheered by the conversation. “Thanks, Rhett”

 

Rhett could feel the red creeping up his neck, he fought it with every atom of his being. He used his name! He knew his name! Well, he’d read his name badge at some point, but he wasn’t wearing it today, he had left it on his other uniform. Suit Guy had bothered to remember his name.

 

“You’re welcome...” He left a deliberate pause at the end.

 

“Link.” He said, filling in the blank. He stuck out a hand and Rhett shook it warmly.

 

“Link.” He nodded. There’s no way he’d forget that. “See you tomorrow then, Link.”

 

“See ya tomorrow!”

 

Rhett watched him go, his world suddenly feeling a hundred times brighter.

 

\---

 

Their conversations grew and grew in length, and though their topics remained very much the mundane, Rhett enjoyed every single one. It was a bright spot in his otherwise dull work life. He’d noticed that he had started coming in on a Saturday morning to do his main shop too. Their conversations on those days were even longer.

 

 

He really wanted an excuse to see Link outside of work, but he couldn’t seem to think of a good enough reason. It was a big step, it would make their friendship official, and Rhett couldn’t be sure that Link wasn’t just talking to him to be polite.

 

It was a Friday afternoon when the solution presented itself, and it was Link himself who presented it.

 

“Good morning, can I be of any assistance sir?” Rhett asked with a grin.

 

Link plonked his shopping down and huffed.

 

“Not unless you can find a country music fan with $40 and an evening spare.” He said dejectedly.

 

Rhett laughed, he didn’t exactly have $40 spare, hell, he didn’t have $4 spare, but he fitted the bill in every other aspect.

 

“How come?” He asked, scanning the groceries through like always, hardly noticing the monotonous beeping.

 

“A friend and I were going to this concert tonight, there’s gonna be a load of cover acts of some country legends, but he’s pulled out at last minute, and I’m trying to get rid of the tickets.” He explained.

 

“Well, I’m a huge country fan.” Rhett said, seeing Link’s face light up as he did.

 

“Really?” He asked hopefully. “Do you want to buy these tickets?”

 

Rhett furrowed his brow. What was he going to do with two concert tickets for tonight?

 

“Sorry, buddy. I wouldn’t have anyone to take.”

 

“Oh, what about your girlfriend?” Link asked.

 

Rhett let out a sudden laugh, startling Link slightly.

 

“Sorry, no, I don’t have a girlfriend.” He was bagging the shopping, only just noticing that there was quite a lot of it today, much more than the now usual muffin and coca-cola.

 

“Oh, right.” Rhett couldn’t help but notice he seemed quietly happy about that. No, it had to be his imagination.

 

“I’ll take one of them off you if it helps?” Rhett offered.

 

Link thought it over.

 

“I dunno, I think I might have more trouble trying to shift just the one ticket.” He paused as he fished around in his pockets for his wallet to pay. “Unless…”

 

He paused again, seemingly unsure as to whether to carry on speaking.

 

“Yeah…?” Rhett prompted after what seemed like a lifetime.

 

“Unless, we could go together?”

 

Woah. Did Suit Guy just ask him out? Rhett wondered if he was dreaming again.

 

“I guess that’d be nice.” Said Rhett with a smile. “It’ll be nice to see you outside of this place!”

 

Link laughed.

 

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to see you out of your uniform!”

 

Rhett must not have hidden the shock on his face very well because Link immediately turned beetroot and started stammering.

 

“I mean, y’know, not like that.” He cleared his throat.

 

“Don’t worry, I know what you mean.” Rhett said with a laugh.

 

“Oh good.” Link relaxed a little and smiled. “How much do I owe you?”

 

“$23.79” Rhett said poking at the touch screen.

 

“Shit, how did I do that?” He half said it to himself so Rhett didn’t reply.

 

“So I guess I’ll see you tonight then?” Rhett asked as he took the money.

 

“Yeah, it’s at the Victoria, it starts at 8:30.” He informed him as he accepted the change. “See you tonight.”

 

“See you later!” Rhett smiled, watching him gather up his bags and leave.

 

When he was safely out of sight, he let his face split into the huge grin he’d been supressing. Link had asked him out! Well, not on a date, but still. It wasn’t a date, was it? Rhett hadn’t thought so at the time, but now he wasn’t sure.

 

That shift was the slowest shift he had ever worked.

 

When he finally clocked out, he was still agonising over whether or not it was a date. He’d managed to confuse himself so much he wasn’t even sure what to wear. He thought about it all the way home. Jeans and a t-shirt seemed the instinctive choice, but at the same time it didn’t seem dressy enough. What if they got food afterward?

 

When he finally got home he got straight into the shower, scrubbing his skin to within an inch of its life trying to remove that ValMart smell that seemed to have followed him home.

 

Maybe a cowboy hat? Would it come off as ironic or would it be too Brokeback Mountain?

 

That was a mistake, that got him thinking about Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger and that tent. The shower was no place for such thoughts. Well, it was exactly the place for such thoughts, but he didn’t have time today. Well, okay he could spare five minutes. Anyway, it would do him good to relieve some of the tension he’d built up over the course of the day stressing about tonight, right?

 

A few minutes passed, and feeling a little lighter on his feet, he emerged from the shower in a cloud of steam, instantly resuming his worries about his wardrobe.

 

He wasn’t sure why he was so worried. Deep down he didn’t want it to be a date. He wasn’t the dating kind. His love life consisted of a string of one night stands, and he liked it that way. He didn’t get attached to anyone that way, and that was for the best.

 

He finally settled on jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie. As he walked down to the Victoria, he had nearly turned around to change at least three times. He’d had the cowboy hat on and off at least forty times. He couldn’t go back now, he’d lost enough time as it was.

 

To his immense relief, when he turned the corner, he found Link stood outside the venue waiting for him in jeans and a t-shirt. He had a blazer on over the shirt, so he did look quite smart, but Rhett was so used to seeing him in a suit anything was going to seem casual by comparison.

 

“Oh hey! You made it!” Said Link, greeting him with a smile. “You ready?”

 

Rhett nodded.

 

“Definitely!” He declared, following the smaller man into the building.

 

“You wanna get some drinks before we find our seats?” Link asked.

 

Rhett agreed and together they went off in search of the bar. Rhett had hoped that by now it would be clear if tonight was a date or not, but it seemed quite the opposite. Every time he felt sure that it was just a concert between new friends, he’d catch Link looking at him in a way Rhett could only describe as ‘thirsty.’

 

Rhett decided that he was never going to relax this way, so perhaps foolishly, he filled up on beer, and Link matched him drink for drink.

 

Several hours later, they stumbled out together, swaying, their arms around each other and crooning loudly.

 

“Joleeenee, Joleeeene, please don’t take him just because you caaaaaaan” They sang, ignoring the funny looks from passers by.

 

“Man, Dotty Parton was amazing, wasn’t she?” Link said, full of awe.

 

“Nearly as good as Jimmy Cash.” Rhett agreed. “I never realised that cover acts could be so good!”

 

“I know right!” Link cried. “Once you get past the stupid names and bad wigs they’re actually kind of great!”

 

“Agreed.” Said Rhett with a nod.

 

They were wandering the road, not really going anywhere, just in the vague direction of home.

 

“Hey man, thanks for coming with me tonight, I had a great time.” Link said with a smile.

 

“Yeah, me too.” Rhett looked down, and as they caught each other’s eye, there was a brief silence.

 

Link looked away, his cheeks turning pink.

 

“Um, hey, Rhett?” He was staring straight ahead into the dark. Dear god, this man was the king of mixed signals.

 

“Mmm?” Rhett answered.

 

“Are you… Are you gay?” Link kept his gaze fixed straight ahead.

 

“No!” Rhett cried far too quickly. Fuck! Why did he do that? He’d not lied about his sexuality since he was seventeen. Jesus, less than a few hours ago he’d been fantasizing in the shower about being the filling in a Jack/Ennis sandwich, and here he was pretending to be straight!

 

“Oh, good…” Link said quietly. Rhett’s heart was in his mouth. Link shook his head suddenly. “No, sorry, that’s so rude. I shouldn’t have even asked. It’s okay if you are, I just, um, I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression is all.”

 

Rhett’s heart sank a little. So it wasn’t a date. He’d more or less come to that conclusion anyway, but it had been kind of nice to hope.

 

“That’s okay man, no harm done.” He forced a smile, and Link seemed to relax at that. “You wanna get some food?”

 

Link nodded enthusiastically.

 

“Yeah, I’m starved!”

 

They ended up in a late night rib place. They sat down and ordered, and the conversation resumed its flow easily. A woman with two plates heaving with meat approached. She dropped them down with an unceremonious clunk, and Rhett and Link dug in.

 

“Can you really tell the difference?” Link asked through a mouthful of rib.

 

“Absolutely!” Rhett declared boldly. “I mean, records are a pain in the ass to play but I promise you the sound is worth it.”

 

“I’m not convinced man, how much better can it possibly be?” Link raised his eyebrow.

 

“I live around the corner from here, if you want you can come over and hear for yourself!” Rhett offered, picking something out of his teeth as surreptitiously as possible.

 

Link smiled eagerly, his face covered in barbecue sauce.

 

“Okay then.” He wiped his face with the bib/napkin he was wearing. “These are really good! A guy at work has been recommending this place for ages, but who goes to a rib place on their lunch break?”

 

He gestured to the state of his bib and hands.

 

“Ribs aren’t a good idea in a suit.” Rhett agreed. “So what is it exactly that you do, Link?”

 

Link sighed.

 

“I analyse data for a company called BaseNet. It’s not very exciting. It’s a lot of moving numbers around on spreadsheets.”

 

“I see.” Said Rhett nodding thoughtfully. “So, here’s a question,”

 

“Go on.” Said Link, leaning forward, ready to field whatever data based enquiry Rhett had.

 

“How come you wear your ID card backwards?” Rhett waggled an eyebrow at him. Link turned beetroot red. “It’s a photo ID, isn’t it?” Said Rhett breaking into a grin.

 

“It’s the most awful photo you’ve ever seen!” Link groaned. “I’m all washed out, all you can see is my hair and teeth!”

 

Rhett laughed.

 

“I didn’t have you down as the vain type!” He said with a goading smirk.

 

“You haven’t seen it! Vanity doesn’t come into it!” He complained, throwing some bones onto his plate.

 

“I bet it’s not that bad.” Said Rhett confidently. “You’ll have to show me.”

 

“Remind me tomorrow morning when I’ve got it on.” Link said laughing.

 

Their plates emptied, and feeling the alcohol beginning to wear off as they left, Rhett suggested they go for another drink.

 

“I thought we were going to go to your place?” Link said innocently.

 

“Oh!” Rhett had forgotten his offer to listen to his records. “Yeah! I wasn’t sure you’d want to. That’d be great!”

 

As they walked along, he watched Link carefully out of the corner of his eye, suddenly unsure as to what Link was expecting to happen when they got upstairs to his apartment. Shit! He told him he wasn’t gay! Rhett cursed himself for lying. He had to tell him before they got back to his, otherwise it was going to look like he’d lured him there under false pretences.

 

“Hey, Link…” Rhett said, staring down at the sidewalk. “I have a confession to make.”

 

“Shoot.” Said Link, his steps bobbing slightly from the intoxication.

 

“I lied before. I don’t know why, really, but I did.” He took a deep breath. Why was he being so awkward? “Just so you know, I am actually gay.” He glanced up to gauge Link’s reaction. He didn’t really change.

 

“Yeah, I’d kinda guessed that.” He admitted. “It really doesn’t matter, you know. I really should never have asked. I only asked because, well…” He trailed off as if in deep thought. “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” He shook his head and engaged in a furious staring competition with his shoes.

 

“No, go on.” Rhett urged, he could feel hope rising in his chest. He was telling himself to stay calm, after all, the guy had just broken up with his girlfriend, he was obviously straight.

 

“I just didn’t want you to think this was a date.” Link looked away embarrassed.

 

A lump the size of Mexico was firmly lodged in Rhett’s windpipe. Ouch.

 

“And why would I think that?” He managed to force out a laugh. They had reached the door of Rhett’s place, he punched in the code and he fumbled in his pockets for his front door key, glad of a reason not to make eye contact.

 

“I guess part of me wanted it to be.” Said Link with a world-weary sigh.

 

Rhett froze, the key half turned in the lock.

 

“If you want it to be a date, we can reset if you like?” He asked carefully. What was he doing? A date? Rhett didn’t do dates. Not anymore. What was this guy doing to him?

 

Link considered it, still staring at the floor.

 

“Um, I’m not sure.” He finally looked up, his brows were knitted together, his face a picture of worry. “There’s something you should know about me, but I just don’t know how best to explain it.” His cheeks flushed an embarrassed pink and he looked down at the floor again.

 

Rhett looked at him, his key still in the door. This tiny man, shuffling his feet like a shy fifteen-year-old, he was the cutest thing Rhett had ever seen. He felt a warmth swell through his chest, it was a familiar feeling, but it had been so long he almost didn’t recognise it.

 

“The way I see it, you have all evening to find a way to explain it. Behind this door is a date, where we can get to know each other better. No pressure, you can tell me if you want, if you find the right moment, and if not, well, there’s next time.” Link’s face turned up and Rhett gave him an assuring smile.

 

“Okay.” Link agreed.

 

Rhett finally turned the key and opened the door. His heart was pounding like a drum – he had day-dreamed about having Suit Guy in his apartment, and here it was becoming reality.

 

“Then follow me.” He said, showing him in.


	2. Chapter 2- What's Love Got to Do With It?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina Turner once asked - 'what's love got to do with it?'. As it turns out, for Link, it's everything.

As Rhett showed the way into his apartment, his mind was whirling with a thousand thoughts. He was almost seasick with the ocean of hopes and worries sloshing around in his head. Link was coming into his apartment! On a date! But he what was it he had to tell him? It sure sounded serious.

 

“Hey, MTV, this is my crib!” He gestured with a long arm, internally cringing at his attempt to be funny. To his enormous relief, Link chuckled.

 

His apartment was modest in size. It opened straight into his living room, where there was only as much furniture as there needed to be; one long sofa, strategically placed for passing out on after work, a coffee table, for resting your oversized legs on when the sofa got uncomfortable, and a tv which all this was pointed at. The kitchen ran along the back of the room, a breakfast bar with two tall bar stools dividing the two sections of the room. There wasn’t much decoration, the odd artwork here and there, but nothing that really stood out as being particularly distinctive.

 

“It’s nice.” Link smiled.

 

“Do you want a drink?” Rhett asked, heading for the fridge.

 

“Yeah, sure.” Link replied. He stepped a little further into the room, taking it in quietly, trying to build a picture of the tall creature that inhabited the space.

 

Rhett opened a couple of beers. He picked up the rest of the box with one hand and hooked his fingers around the neck of the first two. They frothed idly over his fingers, but he didn’t even notice.

 

“Shall we?” He said, gesturing towards a door on the other side of the room.

 

Link suddenly looked a little concerned, staring at the door as if it would bite him.

 

“Umm, whaddya mean?” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, like an animal ready to take flight at any second.

 

“Come see.” Said Rhett, clinking his way over, opened the door with his foot like an enormous kung-fu praying mantis.

 

Link dithered slightly on the spot. He was hesitant to follow, but ultimately he didn’t want to leave either. He took a deep breath and followed.

 

To his relief, the room was not the bedroom. It was a tiny box room, painted a dark red and filled to bursting with music paraphernalia. There were boxes of records piled up at one end with a player set in a beautiful wooden stand next to them. The other end there was a keyboard with sheets of paper all over it and an acoustic guitar sticking out from under it. On the wall behind, there were two more guitars hanging up, these were electric, one was wood effect, the other was gold. The rest of the walls were decorated with seemingly random album covers, neatly aligned and spaced very carefully. This was Rhett’s space. This was his sanctum, where he had chosen to decorate the walls with pieces of his heart, albums that made no sense together to anyone else, but to him were full of emotion and fond memories. It was where he could be outside of his life, where he wasn’t a ValMart employee, where he wasn’t a brother, where he wasn’t a son. He was Rhett. And he could truly be himself.

 

“Sorry it’s a mess.” Rhett apologized as he swept some paper off a little desk with his elbow. He plonked the box of beers on it, and handed Link one of the open ones. “Welcome to my lair.” He said with a grin.

 

“It’s amazing!” Said Link in awe. He was struggling to take it all in, but one thing was definitely clear; this was a private space. He felt a little honoured to be allowed in.

 

“Whaddya wanna listen to?” Rhett asked, falling to his knees and diving into one of the boxes of records. “I’ve got Johnny Cash, I’ve got Merle Haggard, you name it.”

 

“You choose.” Link said, settling on the keyboard stool. He watched the excitement in Rhett’s face, this was clearly his passion, his eyes were practically glowing as he dug through the box to find what he was looking for.

 

It wasn’t long before they were singing again.

 

“I FEELLL INTO A BURNING RING OF FIIREEE!” They chorused in exaggerated southern accents, their beer bottles high in the air. “I WENT DOWN, DOWN, DOWN AND THE FLAMES WENT HIIIGHER!”

 

“Hey man, you’re pretty good!” Said Rhett as the record started to fade out.

 

“Not like you though!” Link flushed slightly at the compliment. “You should be the next Jimmy Cash!” Link declared confidently.

 

“Well when ol’ jimmy pops his boots I’ll give the theatre a call.” He said chuckling.

 

“You a musician in your free time?” Asked Link, poking a key on the keyboard. It was off, so it just made a dull thud against the bottom of the plastic.

 

“I guess so,” Said Rhett getting to his feet with a shrug. “Trying to be anyway. Just like everyone else in LA.” He added with a laugh.

 

“That’s not fair.” Link pointed out. “Some people want to be actors.” He grinned, Rhett laughed.

 

“I’m going to pee.” He threw his arm out towards the pile of boxes. “Pick a record! There’s plenty of choice. They should say what they are on the box.”

 

He was wobbling slightly as he left the room, his enormous body swaying like a flagpole in a strong wind.

 

Link slipped onto the floor and began to rummage through the boxes. Rhett was right, they all had what they were marked on them; genres, dates, names. It was obsessively organised in fact. It warmed Link’s OCD to see it, he’d not pegged Rhett as the organised kind.

 

He noticed there was a box at the back that was smaller than the others. It was silver, and beaten around the edges. It had had significantly more wear than any of the other boxes, but there was no label on it. As Link struggled to pull it out, Rhett returned.

 

“What’s in here?” Link asked.

 

As Rhett turned to see, he burst out laughing.

 

“Oh my god! Of all the quality records in here you pick those ones!”

 

Link was cross legged on the floor now, unclipping the box lid. He opened it up and started pulling out the albums inside. He laughed too.

 

“Well, well!” He said, holding Tina Turner aloft. “I see we’ve found your guilty pleasures box!” He said with a grin.

 

Rhett covered his face with both hands and groaned.

 

“Oh God, please don’t look in there! It’s so embarrassing!”

 

“ ‘Whitney Houston’… ‘ABBA’… ‘Cher’… ‘Ultimate 80’s Dance Hits’ okay well that’s going on.” Said Link definitively, setting it aside as he continued to root around. “Aww now come on!” he said pulling a sleeve from the box. “What’s Lionel doing relegated to guilty pleasures?”

 

Rhett reached out for it, his eyes soft suddenly.

 

“I had no idea I still had that…” He said gently.

 

As Link handed it over, a slip of paper fell out of the bottom where the record was poking through the card.

 

Rhett didn’t notice, he was gazing at the record in his hands, running his fingers along the edge like a lost treasure. Link picked up the piece of paper to give it back. It was a photo. As he turned it over to look at the image he was surprised to find it wasn’t of Rhett. It was a young man in his early twenties, with very dark hair that was long enough to come down into points at the side of his head. He was clearly a smaller man, and he was grinning happily at the camera in shorts and a t-shirt, obviously on vacation of some kind.

 

“This fell out.”  Said Link, handing it over, feeling like he really shouldn’t have looked at it for that long.

 

“Mmm?” Asked Rhett looking up. He saw the photo being offered to him, and he froze. “Where’d that come from?” He reached out tentatively, taking the photo gingerly, like it was electrically charged and could shock at any second.

 

“It fell out of the record sleeve.” Link explained. “Friend of yours?”

 

Rhett was staring intently at the picture, he was in another world.

 

“Sort of. He was my partner.” He smiled a sad, sad smile. “In so many ways.” He ran a finger carefully over the picture, tracing the shape of the points of his hair. He had affectionately called them his ‘wings’ because of the way they stuck out from his head. “Charles, his name was.” Rhett explained. “We were childhood friends, and as we got older we just kind of, well, grew together I suppose.” He smiled again, happy to have seen his old friend again, but there was pain in his eyes, pain that had never quite gone away when Charles had left.

 

“Looks like he really broke your heart.” Link observed quietly.

 

“You know what, Link?” Said Rhett, looking up and wiping his eye, his usual grin back on his face. “You’re not wrong about that.” He stuck the photo back into Lionel’s sleeve. “Now are you gonna put ‘Ultimate 80s Dance Hits’ on or what?”

 

Many, many beers later, Rhett and Link were dancing like it was still 1985, belting out every tune at the tops of their voices, with no regard for the late hour.

 

“I wanna daaance with somebodyyy….” Link sang.

 

“Heyy heeeyy” Rhett harmonised.

 

“I wanna feel the HEEAT with somebody…” Link was dancing like no –one was watching, his eyes closed and his arms flailing, swaying from side to side.

 

“Yeaaah, wanna dance with somebody….”

 

“WITH SOMEBODY WHO LOOOVES MEEEE!” They wailed together.

 

They both erupted into laughter, and in the tiny box room, they ended up quite close together.

 

As Link looked up, he and Rhett caught each other’s eye.

 

‘ _I need a man who’ll take a chance, on a love that burns hot enough to last…’_ Whitney carried on without her back-up singers, she wasn’t going to wait for them.

 

They stayed like that for a second, a little too close, their eyes locked.

 

“Umm, Rhett…” Said Link, looking away as his faced flushed a deep crimson. “I need to tell you something.”

 

“Mmm?” Asked Rhett, gazing dreamily at the man in front of him. He hadn’t felt this way in so long. He was sure he’d curse himself for it in the morning, but in that drunken moment Rhett just enjoyed the warmth in his chest that swelled up when he looked at Link.

 

“I’m not gay.” Link said, chewing his bottom lip furiously.

 

Rhett wasn’t quite sure how to process that information.

 

“I hate to tell you this but we’re supposed to be on a date, and I don’t know if you noticed but I’m definitely a man.” He pointed out.

 

“I’m not straight either.” Said Link attempting to explain. “The thing is, gender doesn’t really matter to me. It never has I guess.” He risked a look up at Rhett, all he saw was confusion in his face. “Let me explain; you know how when you meet someone and you think ‘wow! They are so hot! I have to hit that!’ “

 

Rhett laughed a little.

 

“Wording aside, yeah, I do.”

 

“I don’t feel that. I don’t feel sexual attraction.” Seeing the slight look of dismay in Rhett’s face Link hurriedly added. “Not at first, I mean. I have to feel a strong bond with the person first, and the attraction comes afterwards.” He huffed loudly. “God, this is so hard to explain.”

 

“It’s okay, I think I get it, you aren’t attracted to a person’s body, but to their personality, is that it?” Rhett asked, trying to get his head around this way of feeling.

 

“Sort of.” Said Link, bobbing his head. “The simplest way I can put it is that I have to be in love with a person to find them sexy, and to want to have sex with them, and the stronger I feel the stronger that lust becomes.”

 

“I see,” Rhett paused for thought, trying to absorb what that meant for him. “So, how come you asked me out then? I mean, you can’t possibly be in love with me?”

 

Link thought about for a second.

 

“When we first met, I didn’t really feel anything. I liked you because you were always nice to me, but there was nothing to it.”

 

‘ _Ouch. That hurt._ ’ Rhett thought.

 

“But the more I came into the store, the more we talked, the way you smiled at me, I guess the closest way I can describe it is that I have a bit of a crush on you.” Link looked away embarrassed. “I wanted to go out with you to get to know you better, you know, like as a friend? And to see if it went anywhere? I had a head start with you because I had already begun to feel that attraction, which is so rare for me.”

 

Rhett nodded, suddenly understanding the whole night. Why it had felt so like a date when it wasn’t, why Link had seemed both pleased and disappointed when he’d said he hadn’t thought it was, the way he had been looking at him all night.

 

“I didn’t want to rush into anything, because I didn’t want to lead you on.” Link carried on. “Generally when you go on dates, people expect a certain level of intimacy after the first few, and I just can’t do that. Not until I feel for the person. I had hoped maybe over time we could start dating or something, I hadn’t expected it to end up like this.” He shook his head. “Truth be told I didn’t think it through very thoroughly.”

 

“I see.” Said Rhett with a soft smile. “You’re a complicated individual, aren’t you?”

 

The red on Link’s face leaked down onto his neck, his flesh hot with embarrassment.

 

“I guess I am.”

 

Rhett put his arms out and pulled him into a hug.

 

“It’s okay, I like it.”

 

Link hugged him back. He rested his head on his chest and breathed in heavily.

 

Rhett took a deep breath. He was about to break the one rule he set for himself, but something about this man in his arms made him feel like it was stupid rule anyway.

 

“Okay, here’s what I think.” He gave Link a squeeze. “So, let’s start dating. But not like normal dates, let’s go crazy slow, get to know each other. No expectations, no unwanted intimacy. And then, if you still don’t feel more than a crush, I guess we’ll have a good basis for a friendship by then.”

 

Link peeled away slightly to look at Rhett’s face.

 

“I can’t ask you to do that…” he said quietly.

 

“You didn’t ask, I suggested it.” Rhett pointed out. “I want to be with you Link, you are about the only good thing in my life right now, even if that means just being your friend. You brighten my day. I don’t want to lose that.”

 

Link came in close to his chest again, holding him in a tight hug.

 

“Thank you, Rhett. Not everyone is so understanding.”

 

“I’m a very understanding person.” Rhett whispered. “It’s one of my many, many excellent features.” He added. He felt Link’s face break into a smile against his chest.

 

“Noted.” He mumbled.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3 - Don't Let go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhett and Link get to know each other a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING GUYS: FEELS AHEAD. Be prepared for a bumpy ride kids.

Beep. 

 

Beep. 

 

Beep. 

 

Stacking the shelves seemed all the more crushingly dull now that there was finally some excitement in his life. Rhett had spent the whole week grinning like an idiot. He still wasn’t sure he was ready for a relationship after everything that had happened with Charles, he still wasn’t really over it. But seeing Link every morning was such a bright spot in his life, if it could work with anyone, it was going to be him.

 

He was stacking the fresh produce section, daydreaming about the couple of times he’d been out with Link that week. They’d seen a movie, been to a bar for some drinks, it was cliché but Rhett had loved every minute. They’d got to know each other so well already, they had just talked, and talked. Link had told him all about his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie. Apparently they’d broken up because they wanted different things. Link had seemed reluctant to discuss it  further and Rhett hadn’t pressed him, after all, they’d only broken up recently and it had sounded like a pretty serious relationship. Well, all relationships were serious with Link he supposed.

 

"Am I a rebound?" He asked the cabbage he was holding, suddenly shaken by the idea. It had no answer. It stared at him blankly and uninterested in his strange human drama. 

 

He shook his head. It didn't seem possible. Link's entire attitude to sex and relationships seemed to contradict the idea of rebound sex. 

 

He sighed heavily, flinging the cabbage back in its crate. It was gonna be a long freaking day. 

 

He was on his break when his phone rang. 'Laura McLaughlin' flashed up on the screen, along with a picture of a young blonde woman holding up a bottle of vodka with a straw in it. It was an old photo, but it was definitely his favourite one of her, it was a relic from a time when they had been young and stupid. 

 

"Hey Lulu, how's wedding planning?"

 

"Ugh Rhett, don't even. Did I tell you James has asked his fuckwit brother to be best man?"

 

" 'I mean, how is a waste of space like Craig going to organise a fuckwit like James?'" Rhett quoted with a grin. 'Fuckwit' had been Laura's word of the day every day since she had started planning the wedding. The photographer, the caterer, even the reverend, they had all been fuckwits at some point in Lulu's eyes. 

 

"Yeah. Well. I can't really talk, I'm just calling because I don't have your plus one's menu choice."

 

Rhett groaned. 

 

"I told you I'm not bringing a plus one!"

 

"Uh-uh!" He could practically hear the finger wagging through the phone. "Mom made me make space for plus one for you, you're bringing someone. What are they eating?"

 

"I don't know! I'm not bringing anyone!"

 

"Yes you are. What are they eating?"

 

"I'm not!"

 

"Rhett."

 

"I dunno. Chicken."

 

"Good." She sounded satisfied. She could really be a force when she wanted to be. "Mom will be pleased." She exaggerated her already thick southern accent as she mimicked their mother. " 'Now when is that boy going to find a nice young man to settle down with?'"

 

"'He can't be fussy you know, not at his age!'" Rhett finished with a laugh. He knew the speech well. It was the ending to every phone conversation he had with her. 

 

"I gotta go, thanks for that Rhett. Please make sure you get to the hotel in plenty of time to get ready."

 

"I will."

 

"Don't just turn up half an hour before the ceremony."

 

"I won't."

 

"Rhett, I'm serious."

 

"Jeez, Mom! Stop stressing! I'll see you next week."

 

"Love you."

 

"You too."

 

As he slipped his phone back into his pocket he sighed heavily. Where the hell was he going to find a plus one? He wanted to ask Link, but it seemed a little too soon to invite him to his sister's wedding. They'd have to share a hotel room too, and he didn't want Link to feel like he was pressuring him. He huffed again and closed his eyes. What else did this day have to throw at him?

 

His phone buzzed again, as if on cue.

 

_‘Do you want to go out tonight? Tried to call, couldn’t get through.’_

Rhett smiled. He liked that Link used full words in his texts, he hated trying to translate hieroglyphics whenever he got a message.

 

‘ _Sorry, was talking to my sister. Sounds good, where?’_

_‘There’s a bar near work I’ve always wanted to try?’_

_‘Great, I’ll meet you there, what’s it called?’_

Rhett tapped the table as he waited for the details. There was that sick feeling again. It was somewhere between excitement and fear. He kind of liked it. It had been an awfully long time since someone had been able to make him feel… well… anything.

 

\--

 

After a few drinks, Rhett and Link both decided that, much to Link’s disappointment, the place wasn’t for them.

 

“I’m sorry man, in the daylight it looked like a nice place!” He kicked a stone grumpily as they walked along.

 

“It’s okay, you weren’t to know it was going to be ladies night!”

 

“I guess not.” He shrugged. “I enjoyed my cocktail though, I’ll give it that.”

 

“I’m a sucker for sex on the beach.” Said Rhett idly. “The drink, I mean.” He added, blushing under his beard as he realised what he’d said.

 

“And half price too, no wonder it was packed.” Link pointed out, seemingly oblivious to the double entendre. “What do you wanna do instead?” He asked.

 

Rhett thought for a second. It was a bright night, the moon was full and the whole world was bathed in her milky glow.

 

“We could just walk about?”

 

“Seems kinda dangerous, don’t you think?” Link was dubious.

 

“Well if we go down to the beach we’ll be okay, there’s always people down there.”

 

Link nodded.

 

“Yeah, good idea, it’s such a lovely night.”

 

They weren’t far from the beach front, they were there in a matter of minutes. As they traipsed through the sand, Link complained that he’d be picking it out of his shoes for days. In response Rhett had kicked a cloud full toward him.

 

“Oh, it’s on now!” Link declared, returning fire. Rhett dodged and made a run for it, laughing all the way.

 

“Get back here!” Link called as he gave chase.

 

At a safe distance, Rhett doubled over to catch his breath, he was laughing so hard that it was virtually impossible. Unable to flee in time, Link caught him up and sprayed him with a boot full of soft white sand, cackling maniacally as he did.

 

Rhett spluttered and coughed, straightening up to dust his clothes off.

 

“Okay, you win.” He said breathlessly, his shoulders shaking with mirth. He looked down at Link who was holding his sides, in the throes of a giggle fit. That tickled Rhett right to the core, and found himself also unable to control himself.

 

A few minutes passed like that, the two of them laughing like a pair of hyenas reading a bad joke book. It was the most Rhett had laughed in years, it swept away the cobwebs right in the corners of his heart, he felt pure, honest joy. It had been far too long.

 

As the giggles finally subsided, they were both short of breath, stood smiling at each other like moony teenagers.

 

Link sighed happily at him.

 

“I haven’t had a giggle fit like that since I was a kid.” He admitted as they resumed their walk.

 

“Ditto.” Said Rhett.

 

A calm silence descended on the pair. Nothing needed to be said, they were just enjoying each other’s company. It was nice to be just the two of them, no one around to stare and judge, only the moon was watching. And she was good at keeping secrets.

 

“Link.” Rhett said finally. “I have to tell you something.”

 

“Mmm?” Link replied, cocking his head to look at the taller man. Rhett registered the affection in his eyes, it warmed him to the core. He knew he had to do this.

 

“I lied to you.”

 

Link furrowed his brow, a confused look on his face.

 

“About what?” He asked.

 

“Well, I didn’t exactly lie.” Rhett explained. “I let you believe something that wasn’t true.”

 

“Go on.” Said Link. He didn’t look mad or anything, just curious.

 

“Do you remember me telling you about Charles?”

 

“The guy who left you and broke your heart?” He asked.

 

“Yeah. Well, that’s not exactly what happened.” Rhett sighed heavily. “He broke my heart alright, but he didn’t leave me.” He paused for a second, struggling to put the next words together into a sentence.

 

After all this time, they still hurt to say.

 

“He died.”

 

It was all he could manage.

 

“Oh.” Said Link, his expression changing to one of concern for his friend. “I see.” He didn’t know what else to say, he cursed himself for being so awkward.

 

“It was a long time ago now.” Rhett went on to explain. “He was my best friend for so long. I loved him with every fibre of my being, I really did. We did everything together, school, college, you name it.” A sadness had come over Rhett, his whole body language had changed, he’d become smaller somehow. As Link looked up at him, he realised the gentle giant before him was a truly delicate person deep down. “It was a stupid accident.” He continued with his tale, desperately fighting the emotion that was building behind his eyes. “Oh, God, I’m sorry, I’ve not talked about this in so long.”

 

He cleared his throat and looked down at the sand in front of him. He hadn’t realised they’d stopped walking until that moment. He blinked back tears at the painful memories, unsure how to carry on, when he felt gentle fingers snake their way into his hand, linking their knuckles and squeezing tight. He squeezed back, grateful for the comfort.

 

“We went skiing one year with our friends. He went over a jump to fast I guess, and he just… he crumpled like a piece of paper when he hit the snow.” He shook his head. “I knew something bad was gonna happen. I could just feel it in my bones.” He sighed again. “He seemed okay at first, few broken bones and stuff, but while we were waiting for an ambulance he started to forget things, he was repeating himself. We got him to the hospital, and the nurses told us to go home and get some rest.”

 

He paused again. A lump rising right into the middle of his throat.

 

“I’ve never forgiven myself for leaving. He suffered a massive haemorrhage in the night. He died alone on a hospital ward when I should have been there.” The tears were flowing freely now, dripping down his face and soaking into his beard. “After that, I couldn’t stay at home. So I moved here, to get away from it all.” He looked up at Link. “I’d known him my whole life. Every street had memories, every step was pain.”

 

His tale over, he finally broke down into sobs. Blinded by tears, he felt his tall body captured by a pair of warm arms. He melted down into them, letting Link hold him close, sobbing into his shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry.” He gasped. “I thought I’d be able to tell you without getting upset.”

 

“Then you’re an idiot.” Link breathed.

 

Rhett couldn’t stop the smile that forced its way through his grief.

 

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Rhett.” He whispered.

 

“It was a long time ago.” He replied, holding the smaller man tightly, somehow unable to let go. “I just thought you had a right to know.”

 

“Thank you for telling me.” Link said, nuzzling the side of Rhett’s head. “We know each other better now.”

 

“Mmm.” Said Rhett, closing his eyes. The tears had subsided, his face was buried in the crook of Link’s neck. It felt like safety, like Link was his anchor in a sea of troubles. He wanted to feel that way forever.

 

“Rhett?” Link asked as they gently swayed back and forth.

 

“Mmm?” He hummed.

 

“I think I’m falling for you...” He whispered in a voice that was barely audible.

 

There was a moment of silence, Rhett sighed heavily into Link’s skin.

 

“Same…” he breathed.

 

\--

 

“Pizza’ll be about 45 minutes.” Said Rhett, hanging up the phone as he re-entered the living room. Link was on the sofa, his legs curled up underneath him, flicking though Netflix. He looked so at home there, like part of the furniture. Rhett couldn’t help but feel like he belonged there.

 

“Budge.” He said as he flopped down next to him.

 

“There’s nothing on.” Link complained much to Rhett’s amusement.

 

“It’s Netflix! Everything is on!”

 

“Well that’s the problem then, there’s too much choice.” He grumbled.

 

“Well let’s narrow it down. TV or Film?”

 

Rhett watched Link’s face crease in thought.

 

“Umm, a film I guess, I can’t stay too late, I have work in the morning.”

 

“I have the day off for once.” Said Rhett gleefully.

 

“How come?” Link asked, squinting at the screen. “Limitless?”

 

“Nah. Saw that recently.” Rhett sighed. “It’s hardly a day off really, I have to go try on tux’s all day.”

 

“What for?” He stopped scrolling to look at Rhett.

 

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? My little sister is getting married.” He beamed with pride, he felt so paternal toward his ‘baby sister’, it was probably why she’d asked him to give her away.

 

“I didn’t know you had a sister.” Said Link, somewhat surprised.

 

“Well, half-sister technically.” He explained. “We have the same Mom.”

 

“I see.” Said Link thoughtfully. “When’s the wedding?”

 

“Next week actually.” Rhett replied. He desperately wanted to invite Link, why couldn’t he?

 

“And you’re only just sorting your tux?” Asked Link with a laugh.

 

“Well, yeah.” Rhett was slightly abashed. “I ain’t so organised.”

 

Link smiled at him warmly.

 

“I see that.” Link turned his attention back to the TV. “You looking forward to it?”

 

Rhett shrugged in response.

 

“Kinda. It’s a long way away so I’m not looking forward to the drive. And I’m gonna have to stay at the hotel for two nights, and I hate not sleeping in my own bed, y’know?”

 

Link nodded.

 

“Oh yeah, I have to take my pillow with me if I go to stay in a hotel.”

 

“Really?” Asked Rhett, perked up by his curiosity.

 

“Absolutely, can’t sleep on some stranger’s pillow.” He scrolled through the titles in front of him. “A Knight’s Tale?”

 

‘ _Mmm, Heath Ledger…’_ Rhett thought to himself.

 

“Yeah, sounds good.”

 

Link put it on and sat back in his seat, turning on his side to look at Rhett, sinking into the sagging brown leather as he did.

 

“It’ll be fine once your there.” He said encouragingly.

 

“Yeah, wish I wasn’t going by myself.” He said with a half laugh.

 

An awkward silence took up root. Rhett was tongue tied, why couldn’t he just ask Link to come with him? What was the matter with him? He knew deep down he wanted him there with him, and he could see that Link was prepared to come with him, but why couldn’t he form the words?

 

The conversation ended up forgotten as the film got more interesting. There was time for two more movies and a pizza before Link realised how late it had gotten.

 

“Oh shit, is that the time?” He looked down at his phone. “I gotta go, by the time I get home it’ll be gone 1am!”

 

He was gathering his stuff together as he spoke. A mental calculation quickly ran through Rhett’s head.

 

“Hang on, where do you live?”

 

Link froze, his face flushed bright red.

 

“Umm. The other side of town. Near the waterworks.”

 

“And you commute all the way here for work every day?”

 

Link nodded.

 

“Well houses are cheaper over there, I can’t afford to live any closer.”

 

Rhett watched him carefully. He was on the verge of realising something, he could feel it, it was the only way to explain the fuchsia creeping up Link’s neck.

 

“Link…” He asked as the smaller man pulled on his coat. “If you live all the way over by the waterworks, how come you come to our store?”

 

“It’s round the corner from work.” Link patted his legs and pockets. “Phone, wallet, keys…” He muttered to himself.

 

“What about on Saturday?” A wide grin stretched itself across Rhett’s face.

 

“Umm…” Link thought for a second, scrabbling for a decent answer. He gave up. “Because the store round the corner from me doesn’t have you working there.” He admitted with a flush of embarrassment. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said opening the door.

 

“See you tomorrow.” Rhett said with a soft chuckle as Link disappeared down the corridor, a half-hearted wave thrown over his shoulder as he went.

 

Rhett plonked himself back onto the sofa, a satisfied smile on his lips. All that way, just to see him. He felt all soft and fuzzy inside. He turned off the TV and headed for bed.

 

As he settled in, he groaned out loud as he thought about Laura’s wedding. He’d been such an oaf. He needed a plus one, he had the perfect person to ask and the perfect opportunity to ask him, so why had he chickened out? As he got undressed and slipped under the cool covers he wondered what he was so afraid of. Falling in love? He was starting to wonder if it was too late to be worrying about that.

 

\--

Darkness filled Rhett’s apartment, had an intruder to broken in, the only sound he would have heard would have been Rhett’s soft snores. It had been a long, emotionally draining night, and sleep had taken him the moment he had hit the pillow.

 

He stirred now as he felt someone climb into bed with him. It struck him as odd, he was sure he had watched Link leave.

 

“Scootch over.” Came the soft whisper.

 

“Mmm.” Rhett grunted in complaint, but he obliged.

 

He felt a body slip into the bed next to him, filling the space under the covers with a familiar warmth.

 

He opened his bleary eyes and smiled happily at the sight that met him.

 

“Hey, bo.” He whispered. “Long time no see.”

 

“Hey.” He smiled back. “I like this.” He reached a hand up and tugged at his beard. “How long you been doing that then?”

 

“A while.” Rhett answered with a shrug.

 

“Suits you.” He whispered.

 

“What are you doing here?” Rhett reached up a hand and stroked his cheek, brushing a lock of his long brown hair behind his ear.

 

A smile crept across his face.

 

“I knew you needed me.”

 

“This is gonna suck when I wake up.” Rhett said softly.

 

“I know.” He rested his fingers on the warm hand that was cupping his cheek. “What are you doing, bo?”

 

It was a big question.

 

“I don’t know.” Rhett said quietly.

 

“Rhett. You like the guy, why are you holding back?”

 

“He wants to go slow.” Rhett said defensively.

 

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” He said, raising an eyebrow in a disapproving manner.

 

There was a long pause.

 

“Rhett. I’m not coming back, baby.”

 

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

 

“Please let me go. For you. For both of us.”

 

Rhett stroked the tear away with his thumb.

 

“How can I?” He asked, his voice little more than a breath.

 

They stayed silent for a while, just lying like that.

 

“I’m so happy I could see you again.” Tears were silently leaking their way from Rhett’s eyes too now. “I’m sorry, you know.”

 

“I know.” He whispered.

 

“Do you forgive me?”

 

“Nothing to forgive.”

He pulled Rhett’s hand from his cheek and kissed his knuckles gently.

 

Rhett felt the warmth fading as the vision slipped out of the bed.

 

“Goodbye, baby.”

 

“Bye, bo.”

 

A strange quiet descended over the apartment as Rhett lay there. He felt strange, changed in some way. It was the lingering melancholy of old endings making way for new beginnings. He closed his eyes as a bird squawked outside the window. He shut his eyes tighter, but the sound got louder and louder, more and more electronic.

 

His eyes shot open as the alarm blared angrily at him.

 

He smacked at it with his paw and lay there for a few moments, the morning sunlight creeping under the curtains, it gave the whole room a golden glow.

 

Rhett sighed heavily and swung his legs from the bed. Another day, another dollar.

 

\--

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Such a long chapter, and it's not written very well, but the sentiment is there. Hope that gets through!


	4. Chapter 4 - Diving In

“Okay, how do I look?” Rhett asked, pulling at the too tight collar.

 

His sister glanced up from her phone.

 

“Can you sit in it?”

 

He bent his knees.

 

“Probably?”

 

“After a three course meal?”

 

“It’ll be fine!” He cried. “Please don’t make me change again.” He asked pleadingly.

 

“Okay if you’re happy, I’m happy.” She smiled encouragingly.

 

“Good.” Rhett smiled back, eager to get the tuxedo off again. He wondered how it had taken so long to find one Laura was happy with. It was the same tuxedo everyone else in the wedding party would be wearing after all.

 

“So this date you’re bringing, what’s his name?” Laura asked, her attention returning to her phone as Rhett disappeared behind the curtain to change.

 

“I haven’t actually asked anyone yet.” He admitted.

 

“Tick tock!” She called. “Come on, you must have someone in mind.”

 

“I do actually. But it’s a little complicated.”

 

“Don’t tell me you’re bringing a woman.” She almost sounded disgusted. “All women must be vetted, Rhett, I’m not having someone prettier than me there.” She huffed and added under her breath. “It’s bad enough cousin Suzie is coming. That whore is all tits and cheekbones.”

 

“It’s not a woman, Laura. Have you ever known me to bring a woman to anything, ever?” He asked, somewhat incredulous.

 

Laura shrugged.

 

“You could be going through a phase. It happens. I’d love you either way.” She tapped away at the phone in her hand. “So what’s his name then?”

 

“It’s Link. But I haven’t invited him. I don’t want to rush into anything.”

 

Laura rolled her eyes and called over the dressing room curtain.

 

“Rhett, don’t be so dramatic. Do you like the guy?”

 

He emerged from the cubicle, once again in hoodie and jeans, feeling much more himself.

 

“Yeah, I do.”

 

“Does he like you?”

 

“I think so.”

 

“Then why are you kidding yourself?” She stood up and put a warm and on his shoulder. “You’re my brother, I love you. I know things haven’t been easy for you, but you’ve got to move on sometime.”

 

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” She was right really. He had to admit it. He needed to let go and move on.  “Nice phone by the way, mine’s like that.”

 

“Oh, this isn’t my phone.” She said, handing it to him. “It’s yours. I took it out of your jacket while you were changing. You should really put a passcode on that thing, anyone could get into it.” She warned with a cheeky smile.

 

Rhett looked at her, totally lost for words.

 

“I don’t believe you sometimes! What did you do?” He unlocked it and started scrolling rapidly, looking for evidence of tampering.

 

“Nothing!” She said defensively.

 

Rhett narrowed his eyes at her.

 

“Okay. You better not have.”

 

“Would I ever?” She asked, feigning innocence. “Oh, by the way, before I forget,” She pointed at the phone in Rhett’s hands. “Link said he’d love to come. I texted him while we were talking.”

 

Rhett stared at her open mouthed. The audacity of it. She was definitely his sister alright.

 

“There are no words.” He managed finally.

 

“You’re welcome!” She said cheerily, picking up her bags. “Now let’s get some lunch, I’m starved!”

 

 

\--

 

“I really am sorry you know.” Rhett said for the hundredth time that night.

 

“Rhett! It’s okay!” Link said in exasperation as he sat down on the sofa, wriggling to get comfortable.

 

“She shouldn’t have done it though.”

 

“Did you want me to come to the wedding?”

 

Rhett nodded grumpily.

 

“Am I now coming to the wedding?”

 

He nodded again.

 

“Then where’s the harm done? Now would you please pick what you want to watch!”

 

“I dunno.” He complained. “I’m not in the mood to watch TV.” He twisted in his seat and gazed at Link.

 

“Well, what do you want to do instead?” He asked, turning onto his side to gaze back.

 

Looking at him like that, all warm and inviting, so at home on his sofa, Rhett couldn’t help but feel a wave of love surge through him. Love was the only word for it, and he was beginning to realise that. This one man had changed him so much, in such a short space of time. He was a better man when he was around, he was a happier man.

 

He suddenly realised they’d been gazing into each other’s eyes for some time. Too long to be normal really.

 

“Rhett…” Link whispered. “I…”

 

He stopped, shaking his head.

 

“What is it?” Rhett whispered back, reaching up a hand to stroke his cheek with his thumb.

 

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” He smiled softly, and slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned forward.

 

Rhett leaned in too, their lips tentatively moving toward each other.

 

And then, they touched.

 

In an instant, the tender embrace became fuelled by fire. They kissed each other fiercely, their bodies aligning as they sank into the sofa. Link had two fistfuls of Rhett’s shirt in his grip, pulling him down onto him, holding him close as their lips moved together.

 

Rhett’s fingertips danced down Link’s chest, and as he reached his midriff he felt him shiver underneath him. His fingers continued down, until they reached his belt. As he began to unbuckle it, Link caught his hand.

 

They parted, and Rhett looked down at him questioningly. Link looked up at him apologetically, his face turning red as he opened his mouth to speak.

 

“It’s oaky.” Rhett whispered before Link could say anything. “Not yet?”

 

Link looked away, embarrassed, but nodded.

 

Rhett leaned down and kissed his cheek.

 

“No problem.”

 

They both sat up again, readjusting their clothes and staring into the middle distance.

 

A moment of awkward silence passed when Link spoke.

 

“I mean, we don’t have to stop _completely.”_ He said, risking a side look at Rhett. “I was kinda enjoying what we were doing.”

 

Rhett looked at him, sat there with his hair ruffled, biting his lip, looking so… so… undone. He’d done that to him. Bit by bit, he was tearing down those walls. Every day that passed, they were getting closer and closer, and he knew Link was finding him more and more attractive. He could see it in the way he looked at him, even now he was chewing his lip furiously as he waited for Rhett to respond. He could see that he wanted him, maybe not all of him yet, but he wanted him. And dear God did Rhett want him too.

 

Rhett cupped his cheek in his hand and guided their faces together. Just before their lips connected, he whispered;

 

“Where were we exactly?”

 

“Don’t worry, I remember.” Link replied softly as their lips met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short but I felt like I needed to post SOMETHING. And also it was about time someone got some freaking action amirite?


	5. Chapter 5 - When a Man Loves A Man

"Okay, what am I looking at?" Link asked, squinting at the photograph Rhett had handed him.

"It's a picture of cousin Suzie's third wedding." He replied, glancing at the sat nav.

It was going to be a long journey alright. Who gets married two hours away from their home? He had no business complaining really when most of the family were flying up from North Carolina, but he couldn't help but be annoyed by it.

"Okay, what's this for?" Link asked, tugging at his seatbelt, trying to get comfortable.

"It's a crash course in the McLaughlin family." Rhett explained. "They're all gonna be there so I thought you'd want to know who was who."

"Okay, shoot."

"So the woman getting married there, that's Suzie obviously, now if you see her this weekend, don't talk to her, don't go near her, don't look at her for too long or she'll try and marry you."

Link laughed.

"I'm not joking man, the woman's a maneater. Fuck I'm in the wrong lane." He made a quick manoeuvre to correct the issue. "Okay, so the woman standing behind her in the big pink hat, you see her?"

"Oh yeah, you couldn't miss that hat! Good grief it's like a strawberry spaceship landed on her head!" Link said with a laugh as he looked at the tall blonde woman in the photo.

"Yeah. That's my mom." Rhett said, staring confusedly at the sat nav.

"Oh." Link said quietly. "Sorry?"

"Nah man, she looks ridiculous, we tried to tell her. How can I still be in the wrong lane?" He demanded of the dashboard assistant. "Okay, this is where it gets complicated, pay attention. Next to her is my step-dad, now me and Laura both call him dad but he isn't related to either of us."

"I see." Said Link, looking at the man in the photo, short and squat as he was. He looked up at Rhett, tall and lean, his head bowed to fit in the car, he had no trouble believing they weren't related.

"We call him that to please Mom, but he's only been around since we were both teenagers. Which is why I'm the one giving Laura away, not him." He explained. "His name is Geoff by the way."

"Geoff. Got it."

"The younger woman in the middle of them, the beanpole with the blonde hair, that's Laura." Rhett explained. "If you remember no-one else, you must remember her. It's her wedding after all."

"Right, Lorna, got it." Link said with a cheeky grin.

"Link. This is serious." He said in a warning tone.

"It's okay, I've got it." He said with a laugh. "Just relax man."

"Sorry, I'm just nervous that's all. I haven't had a date to a family wedding in years."

Link scanned the rest of the crowd carefully.

"Where were you when this photo was taken?"

Rhett smiled a wry smile.

"Never you mind where I was."

Link looked at him, suddenly interested.

"Come on, where were you?"

He smiled wistfully.

"There was a rather attractive waiter and he gave me some... assistance let's say."

Link shook his head.

"At your cousin's wedding!" He laughed. "You see, its stuff like that that I really don't understand."

"How so?" Rhett asked, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Being so instantly attracted to someone that you have to have them right there and then in the bathrooms at hotel reception." He shook his head again. "And then to never see them again?" He looked off out the window thoughtfully. "I guess I'll never really feel that."

Rhett looked at him, gazing wistfully out of the window, the wind sneaking through making his hair dance.

"It's not as good as it sounds." Rhett promised. "Waking up the next morning alone, it can feel pretty hollow sometimes." He admitted. "I guess some people are built for it and others aren't." He mused.

"Are you built that way?" Link wondered aloud.

Rhett thought it over for a second.

"Not really. I guess I was just reacting." He said with a shrug. "Grief does strange things to a person. It can change you so much that one day you wake up and realise that you're walking about in someone else's body, doing and saying things that you never normally would."

"Sounds pretty awful." Link said softly.

"I suppose it's easier than facing the pain." He admitted. "Okay, I think we're nearly there." He said changing the subject with a smile.

\---

It had been a lovely ceremony. The decorations were beautiful , the guests were well behaved, and most importantly Rhett had guided his sister down the aisle without falling over her dress as he had done when practising.

The final part of the evening was to come now, the dance. Laura had asked Rhett to perform her and James' song, and at the time he had been forced to agree because she was having one of her 'bridezilla' moments.

Rhett adjusted his tie for the hundredth time. He was so uncomfortable in the stupid tux. He gripped his guitar tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.

He peeked out from behind the connecting door and scanned the crowd. Link was there, in his suit, looking very dapper indeed. Rhett smiled fondly, he could hardly believe that in a matter of weeks he had gone from calling him 'Suit Guy' to being totally besotted with him.

"Okay now everybody, it's time for the first dance as man and wife. So if you want to make some space ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the bride's brother, Rhett, who will be performing the couple's favourite song. Ladies and gentlemen, James and Laura."

Rhett made his way onto the stage as the happy couple took each other's hands.

Rhett took a deep breath, settled into position and began to play.

It was an old song, one he'd never really been a fan of, but Laura had insisted he play it for her.

"When a man loves a woman," he sang softly, "can't keep his mind on nothing else, he'd trade the world for a good thing he's found."

He looked up to search again for Link. He found him, gazing up at him, nothing but adoration in the look he was giving him.

The words seemed to make sense all of a sudden, they clicked into place in Rhett's mind and he understood them like he was hearing it again for the first time.

"He'd give up all his comforts, sleep out in the rain, if she said that's the way, it ought to be,"

It was as though Link was the only person in the room. Rhett held his eye, singing to him, enjoying the look of happiness it was putting on Link's face.

"If she is playing him for a fool, he's the last one to know, loving eyes can't ever see,"

He thought he saw a flicker in Link's eye, a glance at the floor, a slight furrowing of the brow, but from all the way up on the stage it was hard to tell.

"Yes when a man loves a woman, I know exactly how he feels,"

And it was true. He mustered all the passion he felt in his heart and all the voice he had in his chest and gave the last line everything he had.

"When a maa-aan loves a woman..."

The applause was thunderous. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Rhett got to his feet, took an awkward little bow and disappeared off stage as fast as his legs would carry him.

By the time he got back to the dance floor, everyone was dancing to "Don't You Want Me Baby" by the Human League, that's the effect a day's worth of free champagne will have on a crowd.

James and Laura were dancing like no-one was watching, and it gave Rhett a warm feeling to see her so happy. In that moment he was so grateful he had met Link. He had reminded him of how important it was to love someone, and to be loved back. All those years of empty sex had left him feeling hollow, and for once he didn't feel that way. He felt loved, and wanted.

He saw him across the dance floor heading towards him. As complicated a person as Link was, he was what Rhett needed. It was kind of freeing to know it wasn't all about sex with Link. It was about more than that. Love and companionship.

When he was close enough, Link caught hold of Rhett's collar and pulled him down to whisper in his ear.

"I want you."

As he pulled back, Rhett was momentarily stunned into silence. He wasn't sure he was hearing right.

"Pardon?"

He looked down at Link, standing before him, his lip clenched firmly in his teeth, hunger running wild in his eyes.

He took Rhett's hand and turned on his heel.

'Don't You Want Me Baby' blared as they crashed into the reception restroom, tangled in a passionate embrace.

Rhett shoved Link roughly against the wall, hitching his leg up by the knee.

Link put his foot on the sink and levered himself up so they were the same height, Rhett's weight pressing him firmly in place.

They kissed like they had never kissed before, driven by an insatiable lust burning in their core.

"Hold on Rhett, I don't think this is a good idea..." Link said, putting a hand on Rhett's shoulder, breaking the embrace.

"I'm sorry, is it too soon?" Asked Rhett apologetically. "I really don't want to rush you, I know that weddings can be a little intense and that-"

Link put a finger on his lip, stopping him from saying another word.

"All I was going to say was that anyone could walk in down here, and you have a perfectly good room upstairs." He kissed Rhett softly. "So let's not let it go to waste."

Rhett kissed him back firmly.

"Agreed." He whispered against his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so disappointed with this chapter. But I had to post it because otherwise I'll be writing this story for the rest of my life.


	6. Chapter 6 - Paradise is a Four Letter Word

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is filth from start to finish. Enjoy!

As they toppled onto the bed, they picked up where they had left off downstairs.

Rhett pulled Link's suit jacket roughly off his shoulders. Link returned the gesture, tugging hard at the tuxedo he was in. He heard something rip but neither of them cared enough to stop.

Before long Rhett's shirt was unbuttoned all the way down, and his tie had broken free of his collar and was hanging uselessly around his bare neck.

Pulling it from where it was tucked into his belt, Rhett's hands slid under Link's shirt, exploring the soft skin underneath.

Link kissed him desperately, any part of him his lips came into contact with. His mouth, his chin, his neck, anywhere. He found that Rhett made a rather appealing moaning noise when he placed kisses along his collarbone.

Rhett pressed his still clothed erection hard against Link's. They both moaned aloud at the unexpected rush of pleasure from the simple action.

Everything was more intense, more pleasurable, just because it was Link he was doing it to. It sent electricity coursing through him, in that moment he really understood Link's feelings. Sex and love went hand in hand, one made the other stronger and vice versa.

"I want you." He whispered desperately into Link's ear, thrusting himself again against the man underneath him.

"Same." Link rasped. "But about you." He added.

Trying not to smile too much, Rhett caught Link's lips in his own.

The kiss was passionate but tender, it sent vibrations throbbing through Link, mostly to the already tight area in his pants.

"How do you want to do this?" Rhett asked breathily as he unbuckled Link's belt.

"I dunno." Link said quietly from underneath him. "I've never done it with a guy before." He admitted.

"That's okay." Rhett said with a grin, slipping off the bed and onto his knees. "I'll help you. You'll get the hang of it."

"I am a very quick learner." Link said with a smile. "I was - ahh, ahhh!!" He gasped, interrupting himself thanks to an unexpected sensation around his cock.

His hands instinctively dropped down and he tangled his fingers in Rhett's hair. Rhett's tongue grazed against his head, sending waves of pleasure trembling their way up Link's lower stomach. He bucked slightly, pressing himself further down Rhett's throat. Rhett moaned, the vibrations of which sent Link into overdrive.

"Oh god, stop, stop!" He closed his eyes tight, trying to hold back the inevitable. "Rhett, I'm gonna"

A sudden rush of cold air tingled against the wet skin of his exposed dick.

"We can't have that now, can we?" Said Rhett, rising up to kiss him.

"Tease." Link mumbled against his lips.

He caught hold of the tie he was still wearing and pulled him down onto him, deepening the kiss.

Rhett hummed in satisfaction as he kissed him back.

"I want you to fuck me." He whispered, unbuckling his suit trousers and sliding them down his legs.

"Well if you insist." Link said breathily, his fingers dancing lightly over his own cock, not wanting to do anything but equally unable to leave it alone. It was desperate for contact, for release.

Rhett got to his feet and dug around in his bag for some lubrication. He returned triumphant to the bed to find Link cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Now what did you bring that for?"

Rhett flushed a little.

"Well, umm, I figured I might need it either way." He said.

"How so?" Said Link, a cocky smile spreading across his face.

"Well, let me demonstrate." Rhett said with a grin, squeezing a small amount of the substance onto himself. He worked it into his skin, rubbing himself up and down as Link watched. He closed his eyes and breathed through his teeth.

"Ooh" he breathed. "Oh fuck," he tilted his head back, getting slightly carried away at his own touch, feeling Link's eyes burning into him.

"Here, let me."

Link rose to his knees, taking firm hold of Rhett, eliciting a sharp gasp from him.

Rhett's hands were still slick from the lube as he ran them over Link's body. They pressed closer together, their erections occasionally sliding against each other as they did.

They kissed fiercely, their hands exploring every inch of skin they could find. When their lips parted Rhett leaned down and planted kisses up Link's neck towards his ear.

"Link, if we do this much longer I'm gonna come" he whispered hoarsely into the crook of his neck.

"We can't have that now can we?" Link mimicked softly. He placed his lips against Rhett's ear and whispered; "get on your knees."

He obeyed, and Link took up the bottle and prepared himself. He took hold of Rhett by the hips and pulled him backward into position.

"You ready?" He asked tentatively, painfully aware that he couldn't wait long for an answer.

"God yes." Rhett said desperately.

Even before he had finished speaking Link had thrust forward, plunging deep into him. Rhett yelped slightly, biting his lip to control any further sound.

"Oh god." Link moaned. "Oh god, oh god" he repeated, thrusting harder and faster with each cry. "Oh fuck this isn't going to last long." He hissed through gritted teeth, shutting his eyes tightly.

He pounded into him, over and over, his knuckles white where his hands gripped Rhett's hips. He reached up and caught his fingers in the tie Rhett was still somehow wearing. He pulled it tight, like a leash, holding Rhett in place.

Rhett could hardly control himself. His fingers moved swiftly up and down his own cock, and the way Link felt inside him he knew he couldn't hold on for too long.

He was overcome with feverish emotion, caught somewhere between the most intense feeling of lust he had ever experienced and the strongest feeling of love he'd felt in his entire life.

"Fuck, Link, I love you, I love you so much." Rhett growled through a mouthful of the pillow in front of him.

"No, no, don't say that, I'm gonna, I'm gonna- oh fuck!" Link's whole body tensed and convulsed as he was taken over by the ecstasy that accompanied orgasm. "Dammit!" He growled as the feeling slowly slipped away. He wilted like a flower, resting his face on Rhett's back, gasping for breath.

"It's okay, Link, it happens." Rhett said softly.

Link pulled out slowly, causing Rhett to groan as he did.

Rhett rolled over to look up at Link as he knelt over him.

"I know." Said Link, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "I'm not done with you yet though."

"Really? Was that just round one?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, half joking.

Link leaned down so they were nose to nose as he whispered.

"Baby, consider that a fucking warm up."

  
\---

"That was incredible." Rhett said, his chest heaving up and down as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Mmmm." Link agreed as they lay in each other's arms, both covered in a thin layer of sweat and glowing in the aftermath of orgasm. "I told you I'm a quick learner."

There was a quiet pause as they lay there for a moment, their heavy breathing the only sound until Link broke the silence.

"Wanna go again?" He asked, turning his head to look at Rhett, a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

"Again?!" Rhett asked, his mouth wide in surprise. "Are you kidding me?"

"Come on, you know what they say," he said with a coy smile, running his fingertips along Rhett's chest. "third time's the charm."

Rhett sighed heavily.

"This from the guy who last week wasn't sexually interested in me at all." He said raising an eyebrow.

"I did warn you that the stronger I feel for someone the stronger the attraction is." Link pointed out, shuffling closer so that he could lie in the crook of Rhett's arm with his head on his chest.

Rhett chuckled, making Link's head bob with the rise and fall of his breaths. He bowed his head and nuzzled the top of Link's hair, breathing in the sweet smell of his shampoo.

"You must really like me then." He said, kissing the top of his head.

Link sighed happily.

"I really do. Plus it's been a while." He shifted to look up at his lover, "Just once more? Please?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows hopefully.

Rhett gazed down at him thoughtfully.

"I dunno, I think you're gonna have to persuade me." He said with a smirk.

Link grinned up at him, his tongue between his teeth.

"I think I can manage that." He said, disappearing under the covers.

Rhett closed his eyes, a happy but exhausted grin on his face as he awaited the pleasure that was to come.

He idly wondered how he was going to explain his disappearance to his family the next day. He had basically missed the entire last half of his sister's wedding.

He also wondered what this meant for him and Link. Were they a proper couple now? How would life fit together when they got back to the real world?

It caused him a fleeting moment of worry, that was until he felt a warm and pleasant sensation wrapping around his cock.

'Here we go again!'  



	7. Chapter 7 - When God Closes a Door Sometime He Closes the Windows Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate the first half of this chapter to cattacodinosaur for always being the first to comment on this story. You've no idea how happy that makes me. I hope when you quit your job it was as epic as this. 
> 
> And I'm so sorry about the second half everyone.

Somehow, after a weekend of pure bliss, Rhett found himself back in the store, scanning groceries.

It amazed him how elastic time could be. It was 8:45am Monday morning, he had been at work a little under three hours, but he was sure he had been behind the register for at least a week. His weekend shut in a hotel room with Link however seemed to have been over before it began.

It seemed a distant memory now somehow, the only thing that made him sure it wasn't all a dream was the dull ache he felt whenever he tried to walk too quickly. It had been a good while since he was on the bottom.

He stared off into space, trying not to get drawn into a graphic sex flashback, when the object of his affection seemed to materialise out of thin air.

He smiled warmly.

"Hey there you." He said with a smile.

"Hey you." Link returned, putting his stuff on the checkout. "Back to real life." He said with a laugh, as if he'd known what he was daydreaming about.

"I know." Rhett shook his head. "It all goes too quick."

He felt like that was the case with life in general. He had lost so much. He was beginning to realise he'd given up on living. He seemed to have become content just existing.

But Link made him want to live again.

"Will I see you tonight?" Link asked, breaking his thoughts.

"Yeah, do you want to come over?" He asked as he beeped his lover's lunch through the register.

"Yeah. That'd be nice." Link said with a smile. "I'll come over after work."

"Great." Rhett beamed.

Link gathered up his stuff and was about to leave.

Rhett decided then and there that life was too short to go unlived.

He caught Link by the arm, pulled him over the register and planted a warm kiss on his lips.

Link, startled at first, kissed him back. Much to the disgust of many of the store's patrons.

When they broke apart, he smiled at him.

"Are you gonna get in trouble for that?"

"Yep." Said Rhett with a cheeky grin. "Worth it though."

"See you later." Link said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"See ya later." Rhett said happily, full of adrenaline.

An elderly lady put her basket next to him.

"Say, dear" she said, raising an eyebrow suggestively. "How much extra does that cost?"

\---

"Rhett, do you know why I've asked to see you today?"

Rhett sat with his arms folded in front of the store manager's desk.

"I have a fairly good idea, yeah, but why don't you do the honours?"

Steve's eyes narrowed.

"I don't need to tell you that personal relationships have no business in the workplace." He looked down at the pad in front of him. "We had a large number of complaints about today's little display."

Rhett rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Do you want me to apologise?"

Steve sighed.

"It's more than that Rhett, your worked has slipped. Are you having problems at home? Are you one hundred percent committed to this job?"

Rhett looked at Steve, his eyes bulging out of his fat head, his combover making a desperate bid for freedom. His whole body screamed 'I love the company and this is all I can hope for from life'.

But Rhett could do more. So much more. And he knew it.

"Rhett?" Steve asked, trying to bring Rhett out of his trance.

"Oh fuck off, Steve." He said, finally having reached the point where enough was enough.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't pretend like you give a shit about me or my life. All that's bothering you is a few little customers being small minded and petty. In fact, you know what?" He stood up and ripped his name badge off his chest. "I quit." He said throwing it down on the desk in front of him.

Steve was stunned into silence. He just stared up at the towering inferno before him.

"Y-you can't do that, you have a week's notice period in your contract!" He finally managed to say.

"Okay then, fire me tomorrow when I don't show up." Rhett said as he yanked the office door open and made his dramatic exit, leaving Steve to just stare after him in disbelief.

\---

Rhett was shaking as he walked home. The adrenaline was surging through him, he couldn't believe he'd done that. Part of him wished someone else had been there to see it, it must have looked epic.

He felt a sickness in the pit of his stomach. Had he made a huge mistake? He was now unemployed, in a city with thousands of people looking for work, what the hell was his plan?

He shook his head, it wasn't like he could go back now, not after the scene he'd made. He had to look forward. Maybe he could get a job doing something he actually wanted to do? There were hundreds of bars in the area, one of them might be looking for a guitar player?

Maybe he could get somewhere writing his music. He debated putting his stuff on YouTube. It had to be worth a shot, right?

\---

He spent the day shut in his record room, writing and playing, in an effort to prove to himself he could make a living out of it.

By the end of the day, he was pretty impressed with himself. He had managed to write a whole song, and had the bones of at least another three outlined.

His stomach growled angrily at him. He looked at the clock and was shocked to see it was 7:45.

He got up to get something from the fridge when it dawned on him Link had said he would come over after work.

He looked at his watch again, trying to make the numbers makes sense.

Where the hell was he?

He rummaged in his pockets for his phone, but he had no missed calls or messages. Somewhat baffled, he sent him a text.

'Do you still want to come over tonight?'

He must have forgotten Rhett reasoned.

He threw himself into the sofa with a yawn and flicked the tv on.

He couldn't settle on anything to watch, he scrolled idly through the channels, habitually checking his phone every thirty seconds for a response. Sometimes he'd get drawn into a show, then suddenly realise he hadn't checked his phone for a full two minutes and he'd grab at it in panic. But it was always in vain.

At 8:34 he got a response at last. It just said.

'Yeah, see you in 15'

The fifteen minutes crawled past, Rhett was desperate to show Link his day's work. He wondered how he'd react to his epic quitting story. He had practised the telling of it in his head for maximum badassness, and he was eager to tell it.

The intercom buzzed at last and Rhett let him in. He heard him come up the stairs, and he opened the front door before he'd even got to the top.

"Hey! You will not believe the day I've had!" He said, grinning wildly. "Come in, let me tell you all about it. What took you so long man?"

Link reached the doorway and hesitated.

"Rhett, I'm not coming in." He said. "I'm here because I have something to tell you."

Rhett stopped, and for the first time actually looked at Link. He had been too caught up in his own excitement to notice at first, but Link was not himself. He looked tired, his eyes were red like he'd been crying, he was still wearing the suit he'd worn to work, but it was decidedly more untidy.

"Are you okay?" Rhett asked, full of concern. He could see the answer was clearly no, but he didn't know what else to say.

"When I got home today Stephanie was on my doorstep." He explained. "She was really upset, and she wanted to give it another go."

Rhett stared at him, frozen like windows vista, struggling to compute what he was hearing.

"But you guys broke up." He managed at last.

"We did." Link sighed and looked at his feet. "But if we can make it work, we should try."

Rhett was taken aback, still unable to quite understand what Link was saying.

"But.... why?" He stammered.

"I lied to you Rhett." Link admitted, staring hard at the floor. "About Stephanie. She wasn't my girlfriend. She was, and I guess still is, my fiancé."

There was a beat as that information hung in the air. Rhett just stared at Link, who was refusing to look up at him.

"I came by here to tell you because it seemed like the right thing to do. I'm really sorry."

"You're still going to marry her?" He asked, dumbstruck.

"I have to Rhett. We've been planning it for a year and a half. It's all payed for."

"Do you want to marry her?" Rhett was starting to recover himself, he felt an anger beginning to build inside him.

Link didn't move.

"Link, look at me!" Rhett cried desperately.

"I have to do the right thing." He said quietly, still refusing to look up.

"And what about me?" Rhett cried angrily. "How is what you've done to me remotely like the right thing?"

There was a long pause.

"I trusted you." He said quietly. "You let me fall for you. You knew what I'd been through and you let me fall for you all the same."

Link finally looked up, and Rhett was surprised to see anger in his eyes.

"It wasn't like that and you damn well know it!" He barked. "I didn't come here to argue with you. I'm trying to make a mistake right."

Rhett felt like he'd been punched hard in the chest. His breath left his body and his stomach span with a strange sickness. A mistake? He was a mistake?

"I'm sorry that things have to be this way. I am. But I'm getting married on Saturday, Rhett. I can't do this anymore."

"O-on Saturday?" Rhett said, hardly able to breathe. His chest had tightened around his lungs, starving him of oxygen. He thought he was about to faint.

"Yes." Link said simply. "Look I have to go. I'm sorry."

And before Rhett could recover enough to speak he was gone. Gone forever. Out of the door and beyond Rhett's reach.

He closed the front door and retreated into the apartment. He curled up on the sofa and began to sob softly.

Jobless. Alone. What a shitty day.

 


	8. Chapter 8 - What Now?

 

The unrelenting stream of sunlight poured through the gap in the curtains. It was merciless in its efforts to bring the new day into Rhett’s apartment.

 

He groaned and finally opened his eyes. He lay there for another minute, unsure what to do next. His head ached and his eyes felt swollen from last night’s tears.  

 

He let his head fall to the side and gazed at the pillow next to him. For once, instead of suppressing the memories, he let himself remember Charles. The way his hair had fallen across the pillow, the way he complained whenever Rhett had tried to wake him, and the full on wrestling match it took to get him out of bed on a Sunday. He knew he had been the one then. And he knew it again now.

 

Tears pricked in his eyes. These last weeks with Link had finally, after all this time, made him think that maybe, if you're lucky, you can find more than one 'the one' in a lifetime.

 

Sadly, he had been proven wrong.

 

He wasn't sure what to do now. There was no point in getting up, he had no job to go to after all. He sighed heavily and scooped up the blankets around him. He slid off the bed and shuffled like some great duvet monster into the living room, where he made a nest for himself on the sofa. He stuck the tv on and promptly fell back to sleep, cuddling the blankets close to his chest.

 

His last coherent thought swam through his mind, twisting its way into his dreams;

 

‘ _What am I gonna do now?’_

 

\---

 

Later that week, Rhett's phone rang, buzzing angrily as it attempted to wake him.

 

"Rhett, come on, it's been days, can you please at least leave the house?" Laura pleaded down the phone.

 

"Why would I?" He argued. "I can have anything I want delivered and I can stay in my pyjamas all day if I want."

 

"You still wear pyjamas?"

 

"Only on the bottoms." He defended. "Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon or something?"

 

He could hear her rolling her eyes.

 

"We're leaving tomorrow, I've told you this, but I need to know you'll be okay before I go."

 

"I'm a grown ass man Laura, if I want to hide from my problems then I will."

 

"A grown ass man in pyjamas."

 

"Shut up! They're comfy!"

 

"If you don't promise to leave that house I will come round and drag you out." She threatened.

 

"Just try it."

 

There was a long silence.

 

Eventually, he heard Laura sigh.

 

"I'm just trying to help, Rhett, you're my brother and I love you." She sighed again. "I just don't want to see a repeat of last time." She added quietly.

 

"This is different." Rhett said softly. "I'll get over it, I will." He promised.

 

"I'm still coming over there if you don't promise to go outside." She warned.

 

"I will leave when I'm ready to leave!" he protested.

 

"We'll see about that." She said.  "I'll see you later, bye"

 

"I won't see you later, bye" Rhett corrected as she hung up.

 

He understood she was just trying to help, but it definitely felt more like interfering.

 

\---

It was later that same day when his wallowing was once again interrupted by outside influences.

 

"Alright I'm coming! Jeez!"

 

Rhett cried as he shuffled to the door where intercom was buzzing wildly. He unhitched the receiver and growled angrily into it.

 

"Laura I already told you I'm not coming out so just leave me alone will you?"

 

"Rhett, it's me."

 

Rhett felt all the colour drain from his cheeks as Link's voice crackled its way through the receiver.

 

"What do you want?" He asked bitterly, cursing himself immediately for not just hanging up and walking away.

 

"I want to talk. Can I come in?"

 

Rhett threw a glance around the room, then at the pyjamas and duvet he was wearing. He didn't feel like being made to feel any smaller than he did already.

 

"No." He said flatly.

 

There was a long pause. Rhett was about to push the ringer to check the line when Link finally spoke.

 

"I really want to talk. I don't want to do it out here."

 

Rhett folded his arms.

 

"Tough." He felt petty, but if it made him squirm then it felt like victory. More like victory than a duvet cape and chocolate for breakfast everyday.

 

"Fine. I'll do it here." He could hear the annoyance in his voice. It didn't feel as good as he'd hoped it would. He longed to see his face, the adorable crumple in his brow when he was frustrated. Rhett shook his head, trying to shake the thought from his mind.

 

"I made a huge mistake, Rhett. I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "I love you. I do. I'm so sorry I put you through this. I don't deserve your forgiveness, I know that. But I need you to know that I love you. From the minute I laid eyes on you I knew we were meant to be together. Like fate." A heavy sigh crackled down the line. "I'm not going to marry Stephanie. I can't. You're the one I want to spend my life with. But I know I threw that away. And I just want you to know I will regret that decision for the rest of my days."

 

There was a long pause.

 

Rhett didn't know what to say, there were no words.

 

Finally, Link broke the silence.

 

"I'm gonna go now, I'm sorry for everything. Goodbye, Rhett."

 

Another moment of silence passed. And then, swearing under his breath, Rhett pressed the door release. It buzzed loudly, and Rhett listened to hear the click of the front door.

 

He threw the duvet over the sofa and tried to adjust his hair in the few seconds he had before Link knocked at the door.

 

He had begun to come up with what he was going to say, it was going to be witty and scathing, but the sight that greeted him took all the words he knew from him.

 

There he was. On his doorstep. In a full morning suit. Dress shirt, tails, waistcoat, the lot. Rhett couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't believe it had gotten to Saturday already.

 

Link was slightly dishevelled, his hair ruffled like he'd been running his hands through it manically, his eyes were heavy liked he was carrying the weight of the world.

 

He stood there, looking up at Rhett, and despite everything, Rhett could no longer resist him. He caught him up in his arms and kissed him.

 

He felt Link melt into his arms, kissing him back like his life depended on it.

 

"Sorry, I didn't have time to change." Link said apologetically between breaths.

 

"What made you change your mind?" Rhett asked, holding him close to his chest, gazing down into those big puppy dog eyes of his.

 

Link sighed heavily.

 

"I was stood waiting at the alter, my whole family around me, and Steph didn't show. I was waiting, and waiting, and I thought she'd got cold feet. Eventually, her brother came rushing up the aisle and explained they'd been caught up in traffic and that she'd be late." He looked down at his feet, "my heart sank into my stomach. And I realised then I had wanted her to not show up. I wanted it to fall apart."

 

"So what happened?"

 

Link's cheeks flushed.

 

"I told everyone I was going out for some air." He looked at his watch. "I imagine they've probably realised by now that I'm not coming back." He half laughed.

 

"You know you've made a real mess here, right?" Rhett asked.

 

"Oh yeah. I'm pretty sure her dad is gonna hunt me down with a shotgun. He never liked me." He sighed. "But I thought if I'm going to be horribly murdered tomorrow, I've got to see you just one last time."

 

Rhett squeezed him close.

 

"He'll have to go through me first." He warned. "I was a crack shot at the shooting gallery at the state fair." He added proudly. "I got all the little ducks down and everything."

 

They stood, clutching each other for dear life on the doorstep, until Link whispered.

 

"Can I come in then...?"

 

"Just another minute." Rhett whispered, nuzzling the top of his hair. "I'm still mad at you."

 

"Okay." He whispered back, clutching him close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We near the end of our journey. One chapter to go. Stay tuned!


	9. Chapter 9 - Marvin Gaye Got Nothin' on Me

 

 

A calm and mature, adult conversation. That's what was needed now. Rhett needed to know where he stood, what this meant for the two of them. Rhett knew they needed to clear the air and talk things over.

 

So it did surprise him a little to find both himself and Link, no more than ten minutes later, half naked and rolling around on the bed together. 

 

In the back of his mind he idly wondered where his self restraint had disappeared off too. Perhaps it was on vacation, because he was tearing at Link's clothes like a carnivorous animal, desperate to get at the silky smooth skin underneath. 

 

He liked the way the suit looked on him. He liked the way it looked better on his bedroom floor. 

 

He ran his hands up the firm contours of Link's midriff. He wanted him. Desperately. His need throbbed in his jeans. He felt that same feeling he had felt the weekend before, that need to be close to him, to have skin against skin, to be one instead of two - all because it was Link. Link was here, in his arms again, and it was ecstasy. 

 

He kissed his neck, feeling the gentle rumble of his moan against his lips. 

 

As the rest of the clothes hit the ground, Rhett was almost overwhelmed by the sight before him. Link was here, in his bed, in all his naked beauty, wanting him.

 

Rhett couldn't resist any longer, he wanted to taste him. As Link knelt across his lap, Rhett sat up and took his length into his mouth. 

 

Link exhaled a satisfied breath as Rhett hummed with pleasure. Somewhere between salty and sweet, not pleasant or unpleasant, but all Link. It made his erection ache for him all the more. 

 

He gripped his hips, pulling him deeper into him. Link dropped his hand and grabbed a handful of Rhett's hair, moaning softly as he pressed his body forward. 

 

Before long Rhett was using his hands to hold Link's hips back as he began to thrust hard and fast. Rhett attempted to keep some control over the rhythm but Link was so lost in the pleasure of fucking his mouth that it was futile. 

 

Rhett could feel his muscles pulsing under his fingertips, he could feel the strength in his lithe body. It sent arousal pumping through his system, he wanted him so bad, the throbbing in his cock was almost painful. He couldn't wait anymore. 

 

He pulled his mouth away, and Link gasped at the sudden rush of cold air against his exposed member. Still dizzy from the sensation of being so close to orgasm, he looked down at Rhett for explanation, and saw the hunger in his eyes. 

 

Rhett got up on his knees and kissed Link fiercely, pulling his hair roughly to hold him against him. 

 

"On your knees." He ordered. "It's my turn."

 

Link was unable to protest, even if he had wanted to. He was still in pre-orgasm haze, and he just needed to be touched. 

 

Rhett had remembered that Link had never been with a guy before him, and that meant he had never bottomed before. Desperate as he was to just fuck his brains out, he knew he had to take it slow. At least at first. 

 

Link bowed down onto all fours in front of him, and Rhett ran a hand from the nape of his neck all the way down to the small of his back, momentarily unable to believe he was really there. He had a tube of lube he kept by the bed for just such occasions, he applied some to his fingertips and pressed them against Link's opening. 

 

Link gasped at the contact. It was unfamiliar to him, and the lube was cold against his burning skin. The foreign sensation was enough to break through the delirium of his arousal and he began to feel apprehensive about what was to come. 

 

And then, Rhett's finger carefully slipped into him and all his fear disappeared as the haze returned. He had expected to hurt. He had expected it to feel weird. He had not expected it to feel this fucking good. 

 

He could not help but moan as Rhett worked his finger back and forth into him, expanding his body. 

 

"That's it, just relax" Rhett soothed as he added a second digit. 

 

Link bit his lip hard, desperate to hold onto the sounds his body was begging to make. He began to rock his hips into the motion, silently begging Rhett for more. 

 

And Rhett was not going to be the one to disappoint him. 

 

He withdrew his fingers, and Link let out a groan of complaint. 

 

"Patience" Rhett said as he slicked up his length, shivering with pleasure at his own touch. By now he was truly desperate to come. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to last. 

 

"You ready?"

 

"Mmhmmmm" was about all Link could manage. 

 

Rhett plunged into him, as slowly and carefully as he could. It was a real exercise in self control, every inch being tighter than the last. 

 

Link was moaning something incoherent, his head hung low between his elbows as he propped himself up. Rhett wasn't sure if he should keep going. He hesitated slightly, leaning to try to get a look at Link's face. 

 

Link responded by pushing against Rhett's body, forcing Rhett deeper into him at a much rougher pace. 

 

"M-o-ore" he groaned. 

 

That was all the encouragement Rhett needed. He was pretty sure if he didn't come soon he was gonna pass out. He took hold of Link by the hips once more and gave a powerful thrust into him. 

 

Link's hands made fists on the bedsheets, but he did not voice complaint. Instead he continued to push back against Rhett, forcing him deeper still. 

 

Rhett took up a rhythm, a hard and fast one, pounding repeatedly and purposefully into him, unable to control his own voice as it moaned Link's name over and over, with occasional calls to the lord almighty thrown in for balance. 

 

"Touch yourself" he heard himself order, unable to stop himself from calling out in his desire. 

 

Link didn't need to be asked twice. His erection was aching for contact. He pumped his hand along it furiously, keeping up with the almost violent speed Rhett was setting. 

 

Rhett's fingers were white where he held Link in place, sweat was dripping down his body. It was carnal ecstasy. 

 

He felt his orgasm swelling in the pit of his loins, and before his could call out in warning it was upon him. With a final few powerful thrusts he emptied his load into Link. A few moments later and Link was there too, exploding all over the sheets below him. 

 

They stayed there like that for a moment, gasping for air, their bodies twitching as the last waves of orgasm washed over them. 

 

Then, Rhett withdrew, and they both collapsed into an exhausted heap onto the bed. 

 

Their chests heaved under their heavy breathing as they tried to recover themselves. 

 

"Fuck." Rhett said finally. 

 

"Yeah." Link agreed. 

 

"I'm sorry that didn't take very long." He said sheepishly. 

 

Link just shook his head. 

 

"There is no need to apologise for what just happened." He said breathlessly. "That was the best sex I've had in a long time."

 

"Even better than last weekend?" Rhett asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

Link just nodded in response. 

 

Another moment passed in silence as they lay there together. 

 

"Rhett?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Wanna go again?"


	10. Epilogue - When Planets Align

One Year Later

 

It had all started thanks to a conversation in bed that morning. Link had been lying crossways, his head on Rhett's belly, tracing a finger around his midriff. Neither had really wanted to get out of bed yet, and they were delaying the inevitable, when Link had wondered aloud;

 

'Imagine if you had no idea what your belly button was. You'd probably think something awful had happened to you that you didn't remember.'

 

So here they were, an hour later with half a song written. Rhett was in his boxers, cross legged on the floor, a guitar in his lap. Link was walking around the kitchen making his cereal, singing ideas for lyrics out loud.

 

"It's my belly button, my belly button" he hummed for a second. "Won't pretend like it's nothin, because.... something something something." He completed with a frown.

 

"Ooh I like that!" Rhett. "Won't pretend like it's nothin cos my belly button is really really somethin"

 

"Yes!" Link said with enthusiasm. He looked at his watch. "Oh man, we're gonna be late to the studio."

 

Rhett put down the guitar and got to his feet.

 

"Oh we can be a little late, it's not like they can film without us." He said with a smile.

 

"We should at least call someone and let them know-" Link's protestations were interrupted as Rhett strode over and caught him up in a kiss.

 

"Stop your fussin', Neal" Rhett said with a smile. "We'll get there when we get there."

 

Link got on his toes and kissed him again.

 

By now the action was warm, familiar, but there was still heat to it. As they kissed, Rhett thought about all the wonderful things the year had brought them, and how everything had seemed to slot perfectly into place. It was like it was meant to be, like the universe had wanted them to catch up on something.

 

As he stood there, with Link in his arms, he felt the surge of happiness that by now was a common occurrence in Link's presence. He savoured it, kissed Link harder for it. They began to get a little carried away, and by the time they came apart, they were both a little breathless.

 

Link bit his lip and looked up at Rhett, his eyes shining.

 

"Okay, we can be a little late." He said, pulling him down and kissing him passionately.

 

"Exactly." Rhett agreed with a grin, knowing full well they would be more than a 'little' late, and equally not caring. When he was with Link, nothing else mattered. And he knew this time, it would be forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't bear to believe there is a universe where GMM doesn't exist.
> 
> Thank you for reading, please like, leave a comment, follow me on tumblr (EmmaMMG) and spread the love.  
> Be your mythical best.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you like :)


End file.
